For local enthusiasts of the sport, Warwick's lack of pickleball courts is clearly a pretty big dill.

“Questions started before I even began the job," says Bev Wiley, Warwick Parks and Recreation director.  “I was at a volleyball game and happened to mention to someone that I had been offered this position, and he started right off asking me about where to play pickleball.”

Wiley says that she receives multiple calls a week from passionate pickleballers seeking a space to play.  At the moment, the badly weathered tennis courts at the Mickey Stevens Complex are the only option the city offers.

“People are constantly calling, asking why we don’t have any indoor facilities or complaining that the tennis courts need to be repaired,” she said.  “I have to explain to them that we can’t do anything with the tennis courts (at Mickey Stevens Sports Complex) until we’ve finished with the survey and encapsulation process.”

The “encapsulation” in this case would be of potentially contaminated soil beneath the courts stemming from the location’s history as a junkyard and incinerator.  Plans for a remodeling and expansion project have been put on hold until an independent firm can assess the extent of the contamination.  Another project with pickleball potential is the City Hall Plaza planned for Apponaug, which will include an outdoor ice-skating rink. The rink could be converted to courts during the summer.

In the meantime, Wiley has been exploring various other angles for expanding pickleball courts.  “People have asked about using the Sandy Lane armory, but when they come here and see the unfinished concrete floor, they realize that it won’t work,” she said.  “Schools might be an option in the summer, but there are still regulations and restrictions about using them when students are around, such as for athletic practice.”

One suggestion has been to use gym space at the Oakland Beach or Norwood branch of the Warwick Boys and Girls Clubs.  Lara D’Antuono, the organization’s executive director, said that they are “in the midst of examining the possibilities” and that they hope to have reached a conclusion before spring.

Returning snowbirds looking to play

That’s when the local pickleball season tends to begin in earnest, as part-time Floridians start their annual migration northward.

“I get calls from people saying that they’re in a pickleball league in Florida and they can’t afford to miss a practice,” she says.  “Together with ping-pong and disc golf, this is one of those sports people get really swept up in.”

Outside of Warwick, another option for local offseason practice is Cranston’s Pastore Youth Center, which has been offering an intensive pickleball clinic beginning Jan 10.

            “This is an opportunity both for people who have never played pickleball before and players who want to hone their skills, even while it’s cold and gray outside,” said instructor Peter Kaczmarzyk.  “Regardless of skill level, the goal is to have you playing your best by the time summer comes and the real pickleball season begins.”  

According to Scott Sevegny, the Recreation Program Coordinator, Pastore has been getting just as many pickleball calls as Warwick Parks and Rec.  “We’ve been getting a lot of requests from players who want more structure than just meeting up for free-play,” he said.  The center introduced indoor pickleball in 2019, and it has since become one of their most popular offerings.  “We’ve been getting a much wider range of skill levels lately, ranging from former tennis players to total beginners.”

Kaczmarzyk fits into the first of those categories: a US Tennis Association-ranked pro, his interest in pickleball developed after a knee injury made it difficult for him to navigate a full-size tennis court.

“The clinic also focuses on ways that players can minimize their risk of injury, even if they have no previous athletic skills,” he explained.  “Pickleball is a perfect way to remain active without having to put too much strain on your body.”

Carl Landau, co-author of the recent Pickleball For Dummies (available through Wiley and on Amazon), says that this has been one of the keys to the sport’s success.

“Pickleball is a game that isn’t super strenuous, but that makes it easier to stay on the court for five, maybe even six games at a stretch,” he explains.  “It’s a good cardio workout, and it has the playful sense of competition you get from a sport like bowling - just enough to make you want to keep going, but not enough to intimidate anyone.”

Formerly an obscure pastime of the Pacific Northwest, pickleball’s popularity has bounded over the past year, becoming the fastest growing sport in the country and earning a devoted following here in Rhode Island.  Communities ranging from North Kingstown to East Providence have introduced municipal pickleball courts, while the state’s first dedicated pickleball facility is scheduled to open in Wakefield this week. 

“The expansion will just keep going,” says Landau.  “It’s more than just a trend at this point - people are investing serious money in the sport.  Television networks and private companies are putting money into promoting pickleball, while cities and towns are investing in creating facilities and introducing it in physical education programs.  That part’s important because it’s also setting up the next generation of players.”

      Bev Wiley cited both youth interest and celebrity attention as fanning the flames of pickleball fever.

"When Tom Brady decides he's going to invest in professional pickleball, you know there's money in it," she says.  "There's money in the leagues and tournaments, and this renovation and expansion work can set Warwick up to be able to cash in on that soon."